Wes just managed to fit comfortably behind the wheel of the 4x4 after eating a King-size breakfast. He had literally pulled Lance out from the kitchen. "You’re gonna be late, boy!" Wes yelled humorously as Lance held Mercedes in an affectionate embrace and a lingering kiss.
"Call me." Lance said, grinning.
"You’ll be busy. I’m not interrupting you!" Mercedes replied as they smooched.
"I want you to call me." Lance said, though his lips were touching hers. Hugging her tightly. "I want to know when the visiting nurse shows up." Lance said, convincingly.
"You don’t fool me." Mercedes said. Lance looked at her with a sly smile. She placed her lips within a breath of his ear and whispered, "You just want me to tell you what I’m going to be wearing when you get home this evening."
Lance dropped his head and his face turned red, while he glanced in Wes’ direction. "Just call me." He smiled.
"Be good, sweet cheeks." Lance spoke to his tiny daughter in her carrier. "Leave the phone line open so your Momma can call me, alright?" Then, he kissed her head and whispered intentionally loud enough for Mercedes to hear him, "Tell your Momma to call me."
Finally down the road about a mile, Wes looks over at his charge and shakes his head. "Boy, you got it BAD."
Lance laughs, "Not BAD, it’s GOOD, Wes...say, "Good." I got it real good."
"I think you’re just getting it real good’s more like it."
"Alright that’s enough outta you." Lance said, blushing.
They weren’t even out of the Town of Sanford, when Lance notices a florist."Stop here, Wes."
"Oh no, you’re already late!"
"Come on, Wes. Where’s the romantic in you? Stop the car!" Lance bounced out and Wes barely had time to put to a complete stop.
Lance opened the shop door and heard the sleigh bells jingle. "Welcome to Baskets & Bows." An older woman smiled.
"Hi, thanks. I’d like to send my wife some flowers today. Could you do that this morning?"
"Do you live locally?"
"Yes, we do. Very close." Lance answered. Just then the door jingled again and Wes comes in a little out of breath.
"Boy, you have to warn a guy."
"Sorry." Lance smiled. He asked for a large bouquet of roses and spring flowers and a little nosegay made up for Ellie.
"Would you like to write out a card?"
Lance wrote, "I love you! Lance (p.s. CALL ME!)" He chuckled quietly to himself as he wrote it.
Wes looked over his shoulder and tisk-tisked himself. "You got it REAL bad."
"Thanks." Lance said, as he paid the woman and left her a big tip. "Please make sure it gets to the house this morning."
The Reception desk at Jive was buzzing. Lance walked in and the woman at the front counter greeted him, "Good morning, Lance. How are you feeling?" She handed him some papers to look at.
"Really good, Susie Q."
"Wanna see your photos on the internet taken in the airport last night?"
"WHAT?" Lance shook his head. "That’s crazy. How do we look? Surprised, angry?" He jumped behind the reception desk for a look. "Man, this is strange."
"Cute, very cute. Your arm around Mercedes, and she’s holding the baby. Can’t see your daughter; just a form under a baby blanket." Susie then quickly added, "But, I’m SURE she’s adorable. Got any snapshots, Dad?"
"Course I do." Lance took out his wallet and pulled out a copy of a photo Chris took in New York. "Am I the last one in?" Lance signed for his copies.
"Oooo, she‘s so tiny! She‘s ADORABLE!" Susie says, sharing the picture with the intern next to the phones. "Well, you WERE the last one in. But, Chris just took off and we’re not sure when he’ll be back. "
Lance gave her a suspicious look, "Really?" Figuring there was more to this story, and knowing how much Susie liked to gossip, Lance inquired. "Anything I ought to be aware of?" Lance placed his left elbow on the counter and made himself comfortable. He continued to glance at the screen of the computer, because something bothered him about the picture on the website.
"Well..." Susie lowered her voice a few decimals, "Apparently, Chris and Dani are in the midst of a HUGE fight. Dani was in here giving him what for! We don’t really know what it’s all about yet..."
"SUSIE." Melinda Bell yelled all the way from the connecting offices. Even Lance jumped. "Don’t you have anything better to do?" Melinda said as she walked over to Lance.
"An office at Jive, too?" Lance smiled, "You really ARE essential to this operation, aren’t you?"
"Don’t get cute. Fork over the photograph." Lance showed Melinda one of the first pictures taken of Ellie when Lance was holding her in the hospital.
"She’s really precious, Lance. I‘ll be expecting some photos for the *N SYNC website this week." Melinda said. Taking a long look at him, she added, "You look very happy. Have you spoken to Chris lately?"
"We all had dinner together last night." Lance glanced at the computer screen again.
"Did there seem to be any tension between him and Dani?" Melinda asked, trying very hard to appear disinterested.
Lance tilted his head, "Ya know, at least Susie is honest. Everybody knows she’s a gossip-hound and we know where we stand. You...you’re sneaky." Lance smirks, "Don’t worry about Chris and Dani. Everybody knows they’re SOLID. It’s an argument. Every couple has them, and who could live with Chris without going off a little once in a while? I sure couldn’t!" Lance laughs.
Melinda shrugged her shoulders, "Do us a favor. Talk to him."
"He knows I’m ALWAYS here for him." Lance noted the look of concern on Melinda’s face, "But, I’ll make it a point to be available. Don’t worry!"
"Wes?" Lance asked, "Take a look at this picture. It’s from last night at the Orlando airport. I just can’t place this face, but I KNOW I’ve seen this guy before. Here...behind the newspaper stand. He‘s got a..."
"This guy?" Wes pointed at the screen. "He’s holding a Starbuck’s coffee?"
"Yeah. I KNOW him."
"Lance, you know a lot of people." Wes said.
Lance straightened up and said, "I really don‘t want to start getting paranoid, Wes, but when I look at this guy...it’s a bad feeling I get. It was dark in that car, but..."
"What are you two talking about?" Melinda inquired.
Lance exchanged a glance with Wes and shrugged his shoulders, "Nothing. I‘m off." Lance brushed past Melinda and made his way down the hall to the studio.
Wes asked Susie to print out a copy of the picture. "Don’t ask me anything. Think you can do that?"
BeaconHill57: Address confirmed
Shrink69__2001: Still exploring avenues to gain access to the family.
BeaconHill57: This time I want to be there.
Shrink69__2001: Do you think that’s wise?
BeaconHill57: I want it done right. I deserve to enjoy this.
Shrink69__2001: What about the Bureau boy?
BeaconHill57: That worked out nicely, didn’t it? He served his purpose and now he’s fish food. No waste, no trace.
Shrink69__2001: Did you notice the half-time festivities planned for the Super Bowl? Ironic, isn’t it?
BeaconHill57: Contact me when you’ve got access into the house. As I said I want to be there.
Shrink69__2001: Are you sure you want to pursue this further? You’re only going to run the risk of exposure and jail time. Is it worth it?
BeaconHill57: Hell yes. Why should she have everything I never had?
"Lance can we run through that one more time?" J.C. asked from the control booth. As Lance stood in a smaller sound proof room, with headphones on, counting the measures until his solo.
Suddenly the door flies open and Chris pushes past Mike into the studio. J.C. sighs and says, "Hold up" into his mike.
"Where’ve you been?" J.C. asks Chris.
"Out driving." Chris said as he plops down onto the leather couch in the studio. Lance takes off his headphones and places them on the music stand in front of him.
"Is there something wrong?" Lance asks as he ambles out and deposits himself beside Chris on the couch.
"Ooh you heard about the blow up?" Chris fumbled with the drawstrings on his sweatshirt pullover jacket. Then, he stuffed his hands in the pouch in front.
Lance nodded, "Yeah, Susie out front told me."
"Well, it’s nothing. Dani’s just letting off a little steam today, that’s all. When she can’t get her own way, she gets pissy."
"Who, Dani?" Lance can’t help but grin. "Still, it isn’t like the two of you to be public about it."
"Well, remember the tic-tac? It happens, Bass."
Lance looked over at J.C. and replied, "Absolutely, these things happen. If you want to talk, I’m here." Then, he returned to the music stand. "Do you want me to start from the top, J.C.?"
"Yeah, sure..." Then J.C. snaps out of it, "Yes, Lance, we’ll go from the top."
Lance kept looking over to Chris. But, rather than push him, he decided to give him some space and time.
"Yeah. Lance." He says drinking a diet Pepsi as he clicks on his cell phone.
"Hi."
"Hi yourself." Lance says in a suggestive tone, as the sound of Mercedes’ voice washes over him and puts a smile back on his face.
"Thank you."
"You’re welcome."
"I would’ve called you anyway." Mercedes begins to giggle.
Lance grins, "I didn’t want to take any chances." He puts the can of soda to his lips. Then, he puts it down without drinking it and laughs quietly. "What are you doing, Darlin’?"
"Waiting for the nurse to get here."
"Are you going out while she stays with Ellie?"
"No."
"Mercedes, that’s part of her job description. You can do some running around while she‘s at the house. Go shopping."
"Lance?"
"Yes."
"I’m fairly sure I used to work."
"You produced recordings for various acts, including *N SYNC. You produced Meredith’s demo for RCA Nashville and helped us to clinch that record deal. But, I told you these things. What‘s on your mind?" Lance chuckled.
"I realize how fortunate we are that we don‘t have any financial problems. I know that we have a sizable estate left to me by my parents...but I just wanted to ask you...I wanted to make sure...I wasn’t one of those rich debutants that just had my nails done while my CDs turned over and the dividend checks on the stocks rolled in. Was I?"
"No, baby..." Lance grinned, "...that wasn’t you. Believe me. I may call you a Boston Blue Blood sometimes, but, honestly, that wasn’t you." Lance smiled, knowingly. "It was the shopping comment that got to you wasn’t it?"
"Maybe next time. I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Ellie with the nurse the very first visit. She’s a stranger."
"Well, Drew can stay behind or LuAnn." Lance suggested. "As long as you take one of them with you. Don‘t worry about this nurse. Rob from the PI firm checked this person out thoroughly."
"Yeah, I know...but, Lance it’s still her first time here. We’ve never left Ellie with anyone but family before. As long as the nurse says it’s alright, I think I’ll take Ellie out with me for a walk later. It is a nice day."
Lance hears a puppy yelping and a baby crying in the background all of a sudden. "Are you SURE you don’t want to get out alone for a little while?" Lance chuckles.
"Hey, these two are just getting started...they’ll wear themselves out eventually!" Mercedes quips.
"Mercedes? Would you do me a favor?"
"Of course." Mercedes moves out into another, quieter room.
"Give Dani a call and see what’s up, ok? Chris is in a weird mood and..."
That’s one of the things I love about you, Mr. Bass." Mercedes says softly, "You care about the people in your life."
"I love you, Mrs. Bass." Lance said with a smile in his voice. "Remember, it’s alright to be away from Ellie for a little while and relax."
"Make that one more thing I love about you." Mercedes said softly. "I’ll give Dani a call, k?" Then, she giggles, "Well, aren’t you going to ask me?"
"No." Lance laughs, knowing full well what she was referring to. "That’s NOT why I wanted you to call me."
"Come on. Ask me!" Mercedes smiled as she smelled the fresh flowers.
Lance held his head in embarrassment, laughing. "I’ve got to get back in the studio...I was taking a break...I finished my Pepsi. I am NOT going to ask you."
"It’s red. I heard that it’s your favorite color."
"Where’d you hear that?" Lance smirked, twirling a pen in his fingers.
"Some fan website."
"Please, Mercedes, maybe you’d better not be surfing the web. I should have said something the other day when you mentioned the Mrs. Robinson comment. I should have warned you that maybe you’d be upset with some of the stuff people might say. I guess, no harm’s done, but I’d feel better if you didn’t do that any more."
Mercedes was quiet for a while.
"Darlin’?" Lance asked, "Did you say red?"
She burst out laughing. "Get back to work." Then, in a quiet whisper she says, "You can see for yourself later."
Lance closes his eyes and smiles.
After the Nurse got the tour of the house and grounds, Mercedes set up a schedule for her visits. She watched the nurse interact with Ellie. Before the nurse left, Mercedes felt a little more comfortable with the idea of her being left with Ellie on her next visit.
"Hey, let’s go for a walk, shall we?" Mercedes asked LuAnn and Drew. "We’ll drive into the town, walk along Monroe Harbor and watch the boats."
Ellie fit snuggly in the baby sling and Mercedes put her little hat over her head to shield her tender scalp from the sun’s warm rays. The sky was so blue, and with the seagulls screaming overhead, Mercedes thought about Martha’s Vineyard. She wished she could remember when Lance visited her and they had their first date at Lambert’s Cove Inn. Heck, she wished she could remember what the farm house looked like that she bought! The plank boards were weather worn and so were the faces she saw on the dock, but they greeted her steps and smiled at her and Ellie.
Merita’s Bread Box was on the corner across from the Marina, and Mercedes told the two body guards she wanted to go inside and buy something chocolate for Lance.
Mercedes went across and lifted the latch on the door, just as a man was exiting. They almost bumped into each other. The man dropped his newspaper. Instead of picking it up, though, he kept right on walking out. Mercedes called out to him, but he didn’t seem to hear her. Drew bent down and picked up the paper.
"That one was an odd duck." The man behind the counter said. "Been watching you people closely, I can tell you that. I thought he probably wanted an autograph. But, then he left in a hurry, didn’t he? My daughter is a big NSync fan. Sometimes we see Lance over at the Marina. I’ve seen your photograph in the paper." The man wiped his floured hand on his apron and stuck it out to shake hands with Mercedes.
As Mercedes smiles and takes the man’s hand, Drew motions to LuAnn that he’s going to go outside and see if he can find that gentleman that dropped his newspaper. "I’m Mercedes Bass. Are you the owner?"
"Yes." Then, Mercedes asked if Lance had ever been in. "Yes, he came in one day looking for a dessert. He said his sister was coming into town and he wanted to make a special dinner for her and her husband, but he didn’t have time to do a lot of cooking."
"What did he buy?" She asked, rocking back and forth on her heels to lull Ellie to sleep.
"I think he bought a peach cobbler. My daughter could tell you for sure but she’s out on the sailboat today."
"Do you have that today?" The baker answered that he did. "Well, I HAD planned on getting him something chocolate. UMmm." Mercedes looked into the glass cases, and said, "Why don’t I get the peach cobbler, and ..." Mercedes laughed, "Are these chocolate chocolate pecan cookies?"
"That’s an affirmative."
"I think Lance likes pecans. It sounds familiar, I might have seen that on some website, I don’t know..." Mercedes’ voice drifted off, then she perks up again. "Anyway, is that okay? I’ll get a dozen cookies and the cobbler."
The owner smiled, "Whatever you’d like is okay, Mrs. Bass."
"Please call me Mercedes." she said, then she uncovered a sleeping angel and said, "And this is Ellie Bass."
"Miss Ellie is too little for a teething biscuit I guess, huh?"
"She’ll be there before we know it, though." Mercedes answered.
He wraps up the cobbler in a neat white bakery box. Mercedes watches him as he carefully places it in the center of the box and grabs some string to tie around the box to make it easier to carry. A loud noise can be heard in the back kitchen. "Murray, we need to buy sugar! Didn’t I tell you to order more last time!?"
"Excuse me Mercedes, this is my wife...Anita." Quickly getting over her initial embarrassment, Anita soon came out in front of the glass cases to sweep the baby up into her arms. Mercedes was hesitant to hand Ellie over, but didn’t want to be rude.
"She’s fallen asleep." Mercedes said hastily. "I’ll bring her in again when she’s awake."
"A new mama, Murray, isn’t that cute? I bet you never leave her side. Remember Murray? I was awful to my dear in-laws, I made them all wash their hands and sit down before they could hold our Gus."
Mercedes blushed. "Don’t worry, I understand. You’ll loosen up with the second one." Anita winked. "We gave Betty ice cream and pizza crusts at 4 months!"
As they were leaving the bakery, Mercedes spies a fruit stand. With a renewed feeling of confidence, Mercedes goes to pick out some veggies for the dinner she planned for Lance.
"We just got these peaches in. They aren’t local, not for another month or so. But, they aren’t bad. If you’re handy, like my wife, you can the fresh local peaches and have them during the winter months." The stand owner said. Mercedes mentioned that she was really looking for asparagus. He picked some out and weighed them for her.
Next to LuAnn, an elderly woman and her grandchild stood waiting to have some tomatoes weighed. "Give me some sugar." The older woman said to the little one beside her, playfully tickling her.
Mercedes paused.
"Let’s check in the pantry." Lance said. He turned on the light in the pantry closet and besides the canned peas and strawberry jams, Lance spied "Canned Peaches! I love canned peaches! And they’re home canned, just like my Granny used to do it." Lance brought the canned peaches out and set them on the kitchen counter.
Where were these thoughts in my mind coming from? Mercedes pulse raced. She was afraid she was going to hyperventilate. She spied a bench and went to sit down on it.
"Are you alright, Mercedes?" Asked Drew. She nodded. "You aren’t worried about that guy who dropped the USA TODAY, are you?" Mercedes shook her head, ‘no.’
Another glimpse inside her head...she’s in a kitchen, and she can see Lance holding onto a canning jar.
"We do have coffee, but we’d have to drink it black."
"Do you have sugar?" Lance asked. Then, he paused and chuckled.
"What did I miss?"
"First these peaches. Then the sugar thing. My Granny used to say, ‘Give me some sugar’ when she wanted me or Stacey to give her a kiss. It’s a southern thing. They probably didn’t say that up in Boston."
"What was it she used to say?"
"Give me some sugar." Lance said popping the lid off the canned peaches.
Mercedes blinked her eyes. It might have been the suggestion of the grandmother and the little girl. It might have been the peach cobbler. How could I really know for sure?
"Come on Granny, you can do it." he said.
I parted my lips just a little bit and placed a wet one right on his mouth.
"Umm. More sugar please." Lance said. He reached up and placed his hand on the back of my head and gently pulled my face towards his. His eyes never left my lips.
He tilted his head just a little to get more mouth. He kissed me two little tiny kisses after that, then touched my face with his hands.
Then, I opened my eyes and said, "No. Never heard them say that in Boston."
"Nana never kissed me quite like that, either."
"Are you sure you’re alright?" Drew asked again. Mercedes had her hand up to her mouth, awe-struck.
"How long would it take us to get to the recording studio?" She asked them.
"We could be there in about 40 minutes, depending on the traffic on Interstate 4."
"Let’s buy some peaches and bring them in to the guys." Mercedes suggested. "A whole bushel full!" Her face lit up with a smile.
"What did you think of the playback?" Lance asked. "What if we took the last..."
"Chris I think I know what Lance is shooting for here." J.C. indicated that he wanted Chris to go over it again.
"WHAT? How many times are we gonna..."
The door bangs open and Joey hustled into the studio with some coffees. Justin trailing behind with some peaches.
"Lance! You’ll never guess who I just saw in the lobby!" Joey said.
Lance just stood there, with a puzzled expression on his face. "Who?"
"Mercedes and Ellie. I’m not sure they’ll make it past Susie and Melinda, though." Justin said. "They’re handing out peaches." He chuckled. "It’s the funniest damn thing."
"Peaches?" asked Lance. He put the papers down on the music stand and walked out into the hall. The guys followed behind and Lance could hear Chris say, "Well, I like peaches."
They could hear the Ooooing and Ahhhing from the hallway. Lance broke out into a HUGE smile when he saw they really were there. His steps quickened just a bit, and he made his way towards her with his arms outstretched. "Hey, this is a GREAT surprise!!"
"Honest, I’m not planning on making a habit of this." Mercedes says.
"Darlin’ this is wonderful! Everyone’s been asking about you and Ellie. I’m sooo glad you came in!" Lance hugged Mercedes tightly. Then, he leaned in between Melinda and Susie and kissed the top of Ellie’s head.
"It’s just that I needed to tell you something. Well, ASK you something...can I have just a minute?" Mercedes asked timidly.
Lance laughed and squeezed her again, "YOU can have all the time you want, Darlin‘!"
Chris and J.C. come over to take a look at the bushel of peaches. "What’s with the peaches, Bass? Most new Fathers hand out cigars." J.C. quipped.
Lance just laughed and asked Melinda if he and Mercedes could step into her office a minute. Melinda waved them on, cooing at Ellie some more.
"What’s up?" He asked while planting a kiss on her lips and placing his arms around her, huddled together with the office door wide open.
"Canned peaches."
"You want to can peaches?" Lance smirked. "Sure, I love peaches." Kissing her again, he laughs.
"No. Did we ever eat canned peaches?"
"I have, my Granny used to can them. If you’d like I could call her and I’m sure you’d learn all you need to know about canning peaches, Darlin’." Lance continues to grin widely. "What makes you think you’d like to can peaches?"
"Did your Granny used to also say, ‘Give me some sugar?’ Did she?" Mercedes was becoming a little exasperated.
Lance’s face turned more pensive. "Yes, she did...what’s going on, Mercedes?"
"I think...I remember...an evening we spent, looking for food in somebody’s kitchen pantry...and..."
"And...we found the peaches...canned peaches, Darlin‘...what else, come on what else do you remember about that night?"
"You were popping the lid off the jar of peaches and I tricked you into saying ‘give me some sugar’ and I kissed you. And you kissed me back."
Mercedes looked at Lance and her fingers touched his face, "It really did happen didn’t it? It did. Please tell me it did." Lance felt a weight beginning to raise up off of his heart.
Lance put his hand on top of hers, brought it to his lips and kissed it. "Yes, baby, it did...it really happened, just way you remembered it." Lance slipped his hand around her head and drew her face to his own. "You remembered." Lance held his face to her cheek, "Baby, you remembered."
"Thank you, God." He said, as he dropped his head on to her shoulder. Mercedes encircled him with her arms and placed her hand gently on the back of his neck. Lance began to sob. Mercedes kissed his face.
"Was that our first kiss?" She asked.
Lance shook his head, ‘no’ but left his head on her shoulder. He felt the warmth and comfort of her embrace and just wanted to stay inside her arms a while longer.
"Oh." Mercedes responded softly, "I had thought maybe it had been."
Lance held on to her tightly. "Every kiss we share is precious to me, Baby." He took his hand, then, and wiped his face. He quietly laughed in a self-conscious way, as he straightened up. Lance took a hold of Mercedes’ arms and lifted her so she sat on Melinda’s desk top. Then he could touch forehead to forehead, as he leaned into her. "It was that same night. Out by the lake on the property you owned with Liam. We stood by the lake, in the dark...and it had been something I had wanted to do for MONTHS." Lance chuckled happily. "You brought me alive. I was just a laid back, happy-go-lucky southern boy, but then...WOW."
Mercedes grinned. "Oh no, I was the evil she-devil that corrupted you!" She said touching his side burns.
"Oh yeah. I was just such a good boy until you came along, baby." Lance grinned with a twinkle in his eye.
Mercedes was mesmerized by those green eyes. "I’m beginning to understand...a few things." She started to blush.
Lance grinned this toothy grin, and mischievously asked, "And what things are they?" He placed his hand behind her head, and started staring at her lips, as Mercedes played with his earlobe.
"I’m beginning to understand, why it is..." Her voice lowered, seductively, "We weren’t able to wait until the elevator was repaired."
With that, Lance gave a smirk, "heh." And then he smothered her lips with his own. His hand slipped down onto her chin and neck. His head tilting to position his mouth to hers. As their tongues touched, Mercedes felt a rising excitement.
"Lance..." Mercedes said as she felt the pressure of his hand on her back.
"Um?" He answered as he pressed himself against her dangling leg on the desk.
"How soon will you be able to get home tonight?" She asked as he began to slide his kisses down to her neck.
"Not soon enough." He moaned as his tongue tasted her skin.
There was an abrupt knock on the open door. "OOoops, excuse me." Justin laughed, "Just wanted to tell you guys that we’ve decided to break for lunch. Are you interested in heading over to McKinney’s for some hamburgers or something?"
Lance and Mercedes exchanged a glance. "SO, everybody’s going?" Lance inquired.
"Well, yeah."
"JC isn’t staying behind to remix the tapes in the studio or anything?"
"No. It was JC who suggested..." Justin began. Lance looked at Mercedes again.
"I’m not hungry. Mercedes, are you?" Lance asked innocently.
"I’ve had SO many peaches, I couldn’t eat another bite!"
"Huh. Okay, we’ll see you in an hour I guess." Justin paused, "Want I should close the door?"
Lance shook his head, "Not necessarily." He said acting nonchalant.
"Ok." Justin went to close the door, then reopened it suddenly, and asked, "Are you SURE you don’t just wanna hang with us there?"
"Positive." Lance answered.
"Is she really asleep?" Mercedes asked him giggling softly, sitting on the leather couch in the studio.
"Yep. I just told her, daughter...your Momma and Daddy are really in need of some alone time. And, naturally, she cooperated." Lance said smiling.
"And Wes, Drew and LuAnn are in the lobby, taking turns getting food and someone WILL buzz us if the guys get back early. Want a peach?" Lance asked, sitting beside her. "I LOVE peaches." He said with a playful grin.
Mercedes slid over closer to Lance, practically in his lap, and quietly she unbuttoned his shirt. The black and white one that makes him look like he’s on a bowling team. "I love this shirt. Did I buy it for you?" She asked sliding it off his arms, especially careful with his right arm.
Lance took a bite of the peach, "I can share." He said holding the peach out for her. "This shirt? No, I think some other girl bought it for me."
Mercedes eyebrows rose up in astonishment. "Oh really?"
"Yep, my Mom." Lance laughed. "Want some?" He handed her the peach after he took another juicy bite.
"Yeah, I do." Mercedes licked the juice off of Lance’s fingers, one by one. "Um."
Lance grabbed her face gently and put his lips to hers. Their tongues did battle for the piece of peach. He eventually surrendered the piece of peach he had in his mouth.
"Where were we?" Lance asked. "I think I was just about...here." He said licking her neck. Then, he unbuttoned her shirt and began kissing down between her breasts. Lance situated Mercedes down onto her back.
Mercedes took a deep breath. "I want you so much."
Lance moaned out as he kissed the soft skin of her breast. "Mercedes. If the baby’s asleep in the same room, at her age are we still going to do serious psychological damage to her if we do what I hope we’re about to do?"
"If you think we should stop..." Mercedes began to sit up. Lance gently pushed her back down onto the couch.
He unbuttoned her shirt the rest of the way, leaving kisses all down to her waist. "We’ll risk it." Lance said reaching around to unclasp her bra.
Mercedes pulled off Lance’s undershirt. Then, Lance unsnapped her jeans. Unzipped them, and pulled them off revealing her thong. He kissed her hip. He raised her leg and bent her knee. Touching her smooth, bare skin and kissing the softness of her inner thigh.
"Baby. You feel so good." He rubbed himself against her bare breasts. Lance licked her earlobe. "I don’t...I don’t think I can wait." He was already so worked up he was sweating and panting.
Mercedes groaned. "Take me. I want you so much."
Lance was more vigorous than usual, but Mercedes practically squealed in pleasure as he grunted and thrust himself inside of her. She buried her head in his neck, kissing him. He kissed her breasts, as she had her orgasm. Mercedes clung to him, feeling every pore of her skin aching to be caressed by him. Still feeling the remnants of her orgasm, she reacts passionately to the caresses Lance bestows upon her body as he ravenously devours her. He held her tightly, as he reached his climax.
Lovingly, while still inside of her, Lance moves them side-by-side, so Mercedes doesn’t have his whole weight on her. They stay connected. All their senses alive with the heat and passion of one another lingering between them.
Lance glides his fingertips over her bare back, her shoulders and arms. He kisses the top of her head, as she kisses his chest. His arms embrace her and he kisses her face. "Was that good, baby?" Mercedes shook her head, ‘yes’. She was speechless. Breathless.
Mercedes wore Lance’s ‘bowling’ shirt as he laid on his stomach getting undeniably the best back rub of his life. "OOoo. I could just fall asleep." He closed his eyes.
"Lance," Mercedes whispered, as she touched the scar on his shoulder tenderly, "Did you call about the therapist?"
"Um um." He answered, sleepily. Mercedes kissed his shoulder. Lance smiled. "I’ll be a little later coming home because my appointment is at 7."
"I’ll wait and have dinner with you. I have something special planned." Mercedes said as she played with his hair.
Lance chuckled. "OOooo. That sounds interesting."
"FOR DINNER." She laughed, playfully roughing up his hair. "GGRrrrrr."
One eye opens and he looks over at her bag from the bakery. "Darlin’ what’s in the bag?"
"Cookies." Mercedes giggles. "Chocolate chocolate pecan cookies!" She leaps off his tush, where she had taken up temporary residence to rub his back, and grabs the white wax-coated bag. "Would you like some?"
Lance pulled on his undershirt and standing in his jeans with bare feet, he reached out for the bag. "Umm, that sounds good! Thank-you, darlin’ that’ll be my lunch."
Mercedes pouted, "I thought I was your lunch?" She put the bag behind her back.
"You." Lance wrapped his arms around her, "You were my dessert." He kissed her neck and grabbed the bag.
As they sat on the couch munching on cookies and diet Pepsi, Mercedes told Lance about the people she had met today on their walk. The *N SYNC fans in the bakery, and the old lady and her grandchild. She told him about the strange man who left his USA TODAY on the bakery floor.
"Wes has a print out of a photograph of us taken last night in the Orlando airport. Maybe you could take a look at it before you leave and see if you saw the same man."
"Oh. Lance, I doubt he’s been following us."
"Probably not, but humor me, ok?" Lance asks. His hand caresses Mercedes’ leg and thigh as she sits closely beside him. Lance looks at the scar still evident on her ankle from the boating accident they had swimming in the inlet 2 years ago. He brushes the cookie crumbs off his pants and playfully pushes her gently down onto the leather couch. Mercedes smiles and makes an "OOoo" noise. Lance lifts her leg, bends her knee and kisses her ankle. Caringly, Lance keeps rubbing her leg as he tells her about the scar.
"This scar is from 2 years ago. We had been jumping off the boat you and Liam owned and you were cut by some zebra mussels. You used to wear...well, I had picked out this ankle bracelet at Lambert’s Cove Inn."
"Is that part of the jewelry that Stacey held onto for me when I was hospitalized?" Mercedes asked. Lance nodded slowly.
"I guess that I kind of blew the jewelry off when Stacey brought it over, didn’t I?" Lance looked at her sorrowfully. "I’m sorry, Lance. I’m sure it’s a beautiful piece of jewelry and it really meant something to us."
"Hey, don’t worry about that!" He scuffed. "Some day, you will wear it again and it WILL mean something." Lance replied. He continued to caress her skin. His hand roaming all the way up to her thigh. Under his shirt and touching her thong. It felt stimulating.
Impulsively, she rose and kissed his lips. More seductively then even he knew she could be. "An encore, Lance. Do me again." Mercedes whispered. He kissed her so deeply, and with such passion, that she might’ve suffocated if she hadn’t been so pleased. Lance placed his hands on her breasts to feel her through his shirt.
"I don’t know if we have time for another round." He murmured. "Oh man, Mercedes," His mouth reached for her hungrily, unbuttoning her furiously, "Girl, what you do to me."
With their bodies intertwined on the leather couch. Lance began to rock himself up next to her. The motion began as a slow easy motion...and then gradually built up. Lance was ready for a heated and lustful romp. But, as he started to remove his jeans, Lance slid off the leather couch. Mercedes started to giggle. He looked so adorable on the floor with his jeans down to his ankles! Lance looked up at her, gave her a provocative glance and a devilish grin.
Before she knew it he was chasing her around the room.
Mercedes was playfully slammed against the wall underneath the control booth that overlooked the studio floor. "Who’s laughing now? Huh, woman?" Lance teased her.
"You are under arrest." Lance commanded, in a deep, sexy voice. "For giggling at the most inopportune moment." Mercedes voluntarily spread her legs and raised her hands as she faced the wall. He bent over and rubbed his hands up the inside of her legs to her tush. One hand went up over her hips and down towards the front of her abdomen sliding inside her thong and strokes her.
"Keep those hands up, woman." Lance stood directly behind her. "Would you like me to give you something..." he said, slowly " to help you stop laughing?" He kissed the nape of her neck.
Mercedes leaned back into his body and moaned, "Would you... pleeeease? I really need you to give it to me." Mercedes swayed her hips from side-to-side and arched her back.
He pressed her up against the wall, where she could feel his body hard and swollen against her. With his left hand free, he slid that hand up the side of her torso and felt the curve of her body, cupping his hand over her breast. The unbuttoned shirt fell open and he tenderly touched her nipples with his fingers. His right hand was still rubbing her crotch and had discovered that she had become wet and inviting. Lance moved with Mercedes as her body swayed. His penis was positively throbbing. Soon, in haste, he began to pull down her underwear.
The urgency they felt was exploding inside of them. Mercedes had no defenses. She was driven to please and be pleased. Her mouth was sucking on her fingers as he pumped into her. Mercedes laid back and let it all happen. She was completely and utterly overtaken with this erotic experience. She never wanted this feeling of total passion to ever end. Lance tasted every inch of her, and then he tasted her again. She rode out the passion he had for her inside of him. Mercedes felt his tush as he pushed into her. She gasped and bit her finger. He held onto her lovingly.
He was so overwhelmed with this lovemaking that he didn’t hear the phone ring to signal the impending return of the other guys to the studio.
As Mercedes gasped and moaned in ecstasy, Lance grunted and yelled out her name. The two of them reached the pinnacle together and clung lovingly to one another. As Lance sought to calm his breathing and placed butterfly kisses on Mercedes shoulder, the lights in the control booth over and behind their heads switched on and rowdy banter could be overheard.
"Oh SHIT!" Lance swore. "SHIT." He lunged for the clothes that were strewn close to the couch and returned to Mercedes to shield her from discovery.
With their backs up against the wall, they dressed quickly and stifled the nervous laughter they felt building up inside. He shook his head incredulously as he finished zipping up his jeans and then he helped Mercedes complete the process of buttoning her shirt.
For a brief moment, Lance allowed himself to forget that their secret hideaway would soon be invaded. He gazed into Mercedes’ eyes, brushed away her hair and held her face between his two hands. "Love you." he said, as he softly kissed her face.
As if on cue, Ellie awoke. From their vantage point the guys could see Ellie’s carrier beside the drum set. "Hey, PEACHES!"
"I thought you nicknamed Ellie, Princess?" Joey asked Chris.
"But, given the circumstances, I think peaches is appropriate, all that blonde peach fuzz on her head and Mercedes bringing all those peaches in today."
J.C. switched on the mike, "Ok Lance, I know you guys are out there. If you two are decent, we’d like to get started recording again."
"Your daughter was in the studio, Bass! What would social services say about THAT?" Chris joked.
Lance covered his red face with his hands. "Oh my GOSH." He said. "You guys are NEVER going to forget this are you."
"Not on your life." Justin answered in amazement.
"My only regret is that we didn’t get a peak at anything but YOUR behind, Bass and frankly, I’ve already seen that before and was never too impressed." Chris laughed.
"How was she when you walked her out? You know, we love to give each other the business, but I didn’t want to embarrass Mercedes." J.C. said.
Lance ran his hands through his hair, "I think she saw the humor in it. But, man, it was just SUCH a close call." Lance started laughing and put his hands up to his face and did a mock scream, "Ahhh!"
"Boss?" Wes knocked on the pane of glass between the studio floor and the control booth. He motioned for Lance to step out into the hall.
When Lance joined Wes out there, he asked, "Did you show her the photo?"
Wes nodded, "I also showed it to Drew and it wasn’t the same guy. BUT, I faxed the photo to the FBI and Rob ... maybe they’ll come up with something. Regardless, it’s somebody for Drew and LuAnn to be aware of. Now, I just wish I had gotten a look at the guy who almost bumped into Mercedes at the bakery."
Lance put his hand on Wes’ shoulder, "Thanks, man. I’ve spent the past 5 years of my life being watched and even followed, but it’s so very different now."
"Mr. Bass, good evening, I’m Walter. Have you been taking it easy? Your therapist in Jackson said you have a tendency to over do it."
Lance gave a deep, self-conscious laugh, "He did, did he?" Lance handed the gym bag over to Wes. "Is this where we’ll work on the shoulder?" He asked. There wasn’t very much privacy in this therapy room. Only curtains that could be drawn between patients.
"Well, first we’ll do some deep muscle massages. Relax you a little bit. I’ll get the warm packs. Lay down and take off your shirt, here‘s a gown if you‘d like one." Walter left momentarily to retrieve them.
Looking around, Lance stripped off his shirt and laid face down on the table. He just got these visions of photos being taken of him laying on a table with this guys’ hands all over him being sold to some sleazy tabloid. Lance shook his head, and closed his eyes.
"Daniel...DANIEL. We need some towels here, please." Someone yelled. Lance opened one eye, glanced over to where the noise had come from. He saw a man, of medium build and height wearing dark glasses with thick lenses, staring at him from across the room. This man was pushing a broom and as soon as he noticed Lance looking at him, he acted very nervous and quickly moved away.
Lance was used to people acting nervous around him sometimes. He turned his head and closed his eyes.
"Daniel, stop staring at the guy and get those towels, please." Someone said in a voice that was trying to be quietly authoritative. Obviously, someone was trying not to make too much noise over the matter, but wanted to get this Daniel to stop bothering Lance.
Walter returned with the hot, moist towels. When Lance opened his eyes, he glanced right over to where Daniel was still staring at him. "Is Daniel bothering you?"
Lance turned his head the other way. "Just a bit." Then, Lance’s breath caught in his chest when the heat of the towel touched his skin. "OOoo. Hot."
"Yep, it’s hot." Walter said. Lance exhaled after a few seconds, and self-consciously chuckled. Lance looked over during the wrap and saw Daniel still standing there, this time he was holding the towels he had been sent to fetch.
"Don’t let Daniel bother you." Insisted Walter, " He’s mentally challenged. He’s harmless." Walter finally closed the curtains.
"Oooh. Sorry to hear that."
"I mean if he’s really bothering you, we could keep him busy elsewhere for the evening." Walter suggested.
"No, no. That’s okay. There but for the grace of God, so the saying goes." Lance said.
Walter started kneading Lance’s upper back and shoulder. It really hurt. "Hey, you’re tense. Is it Daniel? Honestly, we could reassign Daniel to another area."
"No, no really. I’m just a little bit paranoid these days about being watched."
"That’s not a good phobia for someone in your occupation." Walter laughed.
Lance cracked a smile, "Tell me about it."
When Lance finally made it home that night, his arm felt sore and itchy inside the cast from sweating. He kicked off his shoes and rolled his neck back and from side-to-side. His first plan of action was to grab a shower and a cold water bottle from the frig. As he walked into the kitchen, he smiled. The candles were lit and the table was festively set. He had nearly forgotten Mercedes’ dinner plans.
"Mercedes, I’m home." Lance said in a warm and deep voice.
There was no answer.
"Maybe she’s out walking the dog with Drew." Wes told him. Lance threw his gym bag on the floor beside the closet. The big guy noticed the look of panic in Lance’s eyes. "Now, Lance..."
"Mercedes? Mercedes!" Lance’s voice got progressively louder. He dashed between the rooms of the house calling her. "Mercedes, answer me. Mercedes!"
LuAnn poked her head in from the guest suites above the garage. "What’s going on? Where’s Drew?"
"Where’s my wife?" Lance asked, angrily.
"I’ve been asleep. Drew had this shift."
"Wes, the Baby!" Lance yelled with alarm.
Both of them were up the stairs in break neck speed. There in her crib was Ellie, fussing a little from the noise they made yelling and stomping through the house.
Lance put his hand to his heart. He exhaled. Wes gave him a poke. The big guy’s head nodded over in the direction of the master bedroom. There, on top of the covers, was Mercedes fast asleep.
Wes heard Drew coming in with the puppy just then and told Lance he’d go and make sure the house was all secured for the night. "Breathe now. Everything’s alright Lance." Wes gave him a pat on the back and smiled as Lance raked his hand through his hair.
Mercedes looked beautiful in her red teddy and red silk robe, sleeping there. As Lance stood watching her, tears built up in his eyes. He kept telling himself that his excuse was that he was tired, but he knew, deep down inside, that he was worried about Mercedes and Ellie’s safety.
Lance came back downstairs in a foul mood. "Who left them alone? If Drew isn’t in the house, then LuAnn shouldn’t be sleeping!"
"Lance, Lance be reasonable. The grounds were secured. Drew had everything under control." Wes tried to pacify him.
"Wes, damn it. Don’t treat this lightly."
"I wouldn’t. Lance, we are all well aware of the situation."
"Lance, honestly, I had just gone out for a few minutes. Mercedes was fine. Ellie was fine." Drew told him. "I had my eye on the house, man. I saw you guys arrive home."
"That’s not good enough!" Lance placed the palm of his hand on the front of the frig, and bent his head down.
Wes motioned for LuAnn and Drew to leave them alone. He placed a fatherly arm around Lance’s shoulder. Lance shrugged him off. As he opened the frig to grab the water bottle, Lance brought the other hand to his face. Wes noticed his shoulders’ heave.
"It’s been a long day, Boss." Wes said. Lance nodded. "You know, if I was not allowed to blame myself for the attack in New York on New Year’s... then, you shouldn’t be allowed to blame yourself either."
Lance shook his head and covered his face. " If only I had made her stay in Mississippi. If I hadn’t been drinking, I might have been more observant. If..."
"Stop torturing yourself. I know you love her. That’s what makes you feel so responsible for her."
Lance’s red eyes pleaded with Wes, "Why do I have this bad feeling that they aren’t out of danger yet?"
